A number sequence is provided below with one term omitted. Choose the appropriate option from the choices given to complete the pattern.
-72, -148, ?, -604, -1212, -2428, -4860

The correct answer is -300.

To find the missing term in the sequence, let us analyze the pattern governing the relationship between consecutive numbers.

First, observe the transition from the first term to the second term:

$-72\times 2-4=-144-4=-148$

This shows that each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by 2 and then subtracting 4.

Now, applying this pattern to the second term (-148) to find the missing third term (?):

$-148\times 2-4=-296-4=-300$

To ensure this pattern is consistent throughout the entire sequence, let us verify the remaining terms using our calculated value of -300:

Calculating the 4th term:

$-300\times 2-4=-600-4=-604$

Calculating the 5th term:

$-604\times 2-4=-1208-4=-1212$

Calculating the 6th term:

$-1212\times 2-4=-2424-4=-2428$

Calculating the 7th term:

$-2428\times 2-4=-4856-4=-4860$

Since the pattern matches every term in the given series perfectly, the missing number is -300.